SUPPORTING THE TRANSITION TO CERTIFIED ORGANIC GRAIN PRODUCTION IN INDIANA
Organic grain field day in Indiana. Photo credit: Michael O’Donnell
Crop farmers who transition to organic certification report higher per-acre returns and enhanced economic stability, and organic production systems support farmers’ ability to manage excess nutrients, promote biological nitrogen fixation, support biodiversity, eliminate pesticide run-off and increase carbon sequestration by building organic matter in the soil. However, organic production accounts for less than 0.2 percent of U.S. grain production. This project combined research, education and outreach using a community-based participatory approach to inform the development of a farmer-to-farmer peer mentoring program to support farmers considering a transition to certified organic grain production in Indiana.
Read more in our articles Opportunities and barriers to certified organic grain production on rented farmland in the U.S. Midwest state of Indiana and Use of narratives to communicate organics with commodity grain farmers and our extension publications here and here.